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View 8 More +At their best, designer dogs combine the finest qualities of two different breeds into one. Thanks to the unpredictability of genetics, hybrid dogs don’t always turn out exactly as planned. But what happens when you match two breeds individually considered among the foremost family pets?
Breed Overview
Height:
10 – 15 inches
Weight:
10 – 17 pounds
Lifespan:
12 – 15 years
Colors:
White, gray, black, silver, blue, brown, gold, tan, cream
Suitable for:
Anyone looking for a low-shedding, playful, comical, clever dog
Temperament:
Social, intelligent, playful, affectionate, stubborn
For their devoted fans, the answer is the Havachon! Combining the playful Bichon Frise and the outgoing Havanese, Havachons have the added bonus of being a low-shedding, allergy-friendly breed. Read on to learn more about the social Bichon Frise Havanese mix and find out if this designer dog was designed just for you!
Havachon Characteristics
Havachon Puppies
Because Havachons are a hybrid breed, you’ll need to be especially cautious about choosing a responsible breeder. The quality of hybrid puppies is highly dependent on how healthy the parent breeds are, making it extra important to buy from a breeder who screens their adult dogs for inherited conditions.
Small dogs, especially small designer dogs like the Havachon, are unfortunately popular choices for puppy mills and backyard breeders. Avoid buying your Havachon from a pet store, as their animals often come from puppy mills.
Adopting a Bichon Frise Havanese mix is definitely an option if that’s what you prefer to do. Look for Havanese or Bichon rescues who also accept mixes of those breeds. The adoption fees are different for every organization, often depending on what medical care, such as spaying and neutering, is included.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Havachon
No matter if they take after their Bichon or Havanese parent, you can expect a Bichon Frise Havanese mix to be bursting with personality and energy. They are always happy to be the center of attention and certain to get it, thanks to their playful nature and adorable looks. Havachons are generally clever dogs, eager to learn but sometimes a little on the stubborn side.
Are These Dogs Good for Families? 🧑🧑🧒
Bichons and Havanese are both known to be wonderful family pets and Havachons usually follow this same pattern. Social and eager to make friends, Havachons fit in well with busy, active families who also keep a packed social calendar. With proper socialization and supervision, Havachons are generally excellent with kids.
Because they are a small breed, Havachons could be unintentionally hurt by rowdy younger kids. Teach children how to play appropriately with a Havachon and monitor their interactions carefully.
Havachons are affectionate dogs who don’t enjoy being left alone too often. Busy families will need to ensure they can meet the social needs of a Havachon or they may wind up developing anxiety and behavior problems.
Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets? 🐶 😽
The Havachon’s friendly nature extends to other pets as well. They usually get along well with other dogs if properly socialized with them. Be a little more cautious if your Bichon Frise Havanese mix is making friends with a larger dog to make sure the bigger pup doesn’t overwhelm your brave little dog. Some big dogs don’t realize quite how big they are either!
Havachons typically live peacefully with cats, birds, and other small pets since they don’t have a high prey drive. Again, socialization and supervision are key to making sure kitty and Havachon are on their best behavior.
Even if a Havachon has no interest in bothering small exotic pets, it’s best to keep them separated. Adorable Havachons can still trigger predator stress reactions in many exotic species.
Things to Know When Owning a Havachon
Before committing to any dog, including the easy-going Havachon, it’s vital to get a sense of what living with one will be like. Here are some details about caring for a Havachon and what to expect if you welcome one into your family.
Food & Diet Requirements 🦴
With both parent breeds prone to becoming overweight, the most crucial part of feeding a Havachon is not giving them too much to eat. Feed a nutritionally balanced diet and be careful about offering too many treats. Resist the temptation to slip your Bichon Frise Havanese mix table scraps, no matter how good they are at begging!
Your veterinarian can help you calculate how much to feed your Havachon to keep them at a healthy weight. If you decide to feed your Havachon a home-cooked diet, you’ll also need your vet’s help to make sure you include all essential nutrients.
Bichon Frises often suffer from food allergies, so it’s possible your Havachon could as well. If so, they may need a special diet. This is also something your vet can speak to in greater detail regarding your pup’s personal allergies.
Exercise 🐕
Havachons are active, energetic dogs for their size. They need daily exercise to provide an outlet for their energy and keep them physically and mentally fit. As small dogs, Havachons don’t need as much space to get adequate exercise. Daily walks or indoor play sessions will do the trick, making them a breed well adapted to apartment living.
Of course, Bichon Frise Havanese mixes will take advantage if you have a safe yard or space for them to run and play off-leash. They are happy to join the kids in a game of fetch or chase.
Regular mental activity is just as important as physical activity for the intelligent Havachon. Teach them tricks, obedience commands or learn a dog sport such as agility together.
Training 🎾
Training the eager-to-please Havachon is usually a pleasant task compared to some other breeds. Sometimes Havachons can be a bit stubborn, so patience and persistence are needed when teaching these dogs.
Positive, reward-based training works best for the Havachon, as it does for most dogs. Expect a Havachon to be sensitive and unresponsive to angry or harsh training methods.
Bichon Frises have a reputation for being tricky to housetrain on occasion. You may find that your Bichon Frise Havanese mix inherits this tendency as well. Havachons also may develop bad habits or behavioral problems if they are left alone too much.
Grooming ✂️
No matter which type of coat your Havachon inherits from their parents, you can expect to put some time and money into keeping it well-groomed.
Havachons are considered hypoallergenic dogs due to their minimal shedding. Their coats may be thick and curly, long and flowing, or somewhere in between. Regular brushing helps keep their coats healthy and free of mats.
Havachons usually need regular trips to the groomer for a trim or full haircut since their coats grow quickly. Bathing and nail trims should also be performed as needed either by the groomer or at home. Many small dog breeds can have trouble with their teeth so daily toothbrushing is recommended.
Health and Conditions
As a hybrid breed, Havachon’s health is tough to predict with certainty. They could suffer from any medical conditions common in their parent breeds. They could also be healthier than either one, thanks to their mixed-breed status. Choosing a breeder who screens their adult dogs for common inherited conditions is essential to give yourself the best chance at a healthy Havachon pup.
- Bichons commonly suffer from allergies, both food and environmental, which can lead to additional skin and ear conditions.
- Havanese and Bichons can both get eye issues such as cataracts.
- Bichons often get dental disease and bladder infections.
- Bichons and Havanese are both prone to luxating patellas and other bone and joint disorders, including Leggs-Calve-Perthes disease.
- Havanese commonly suffer from heart murmurs.
- Deafness can be an inherited condition in Havanese.
Male vs Female
Male and female Havachons are both adorable with similar fine qualities, so how will you decide which one to get? Well, male Havachons will probably be a little bigger than the females. Often, males are more outgoing and high-spirited as well.
Besides these minor differences, you must decide how to deal with a female Havachon going into heat twice a year. If you don’t plan to breed your female dog, the safest thing to do is have her spayed. Spaying a female helps you avoid both a mess and the possibility of an unwanted pregnancy.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Havachon
Bichon Frises and Havanese dogs both descend from the same common ancestors, little white dogs of the Bichon family. Maltese dogs also come from this same gene pool.
2. They might not stay the same color all their lives.
The coat color of a Havanese often fades as they age and a Havachon’s coat may do the same. Of course, this will depend on which parent breed’s coat an individual Havachon most closely resembles.
3. Havachon isn’t the only name they go by.
Like many designer breeds, Havachons are sometimes known by other combinations of their parent breed’s names. Frise Havanese or Bichonhavanese are two other names you may see the Bichon Frise Havanese mix called.
Final Thoughts
Remember that even a nearly perfect family dog isn’t perfect for every home. Havachons are no different. Take the time to learn as much as you can about any potential new pet, including a Havachon, before committing to bringing one home. These funny and adorable dogs deserve the best home possible and will bring laughter and love to everyone they meet!
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